Montana Field Guide

Poor Sedge is a grass-like perennial that grows in small clusters with flowering stems that are 15-40 cm tall, arising from short or long rhizomes. Roots have a yellowish-brown fuzzy covering. Stems are conspicuously covered at the base with the dried leaves from the previous year. The leaves are mostly flat, 2-4 mm wide, and on the lower half of the stem. The inflorescence consists of a narrow terminal spike of male flowers and usually 2-3 mainly female spikes, the lower of which are nodding on long stalks. The terminal spike is 4-12 mm long and 2-4 mm wide; the lower spikes are 4-22 mm long and 4-8 mm wide, and often have a few male flowers at the base. The bract is slightly longer than the terminal spike. Scales are light or dark brown, often with a greenish midvein. The perigynia are pale green, glabrous, oval in outline, and 2-3 mm long. Each perigynium has 3 stigmas and an achene that is 3-sided.

Fruit mature in July-August.

Carex paupercula occurs with C. limonsa in peatland habitat, and the two can be confused. It differs from the latter in having leaves at the base of the plant and male flowers at the base of spikes.

Nutrient-poor fens and bog-like microsites often with Sphanum moss in the montane zone.